Enchanted Rivalry

22. Falling apart

Kael 

This is not who I am.

This type of... stuff is what Summer Court people, these flowerlings, do. I am the prince of Shadowlands.

Despite the calming waters and Aria's gentle encouragement, I couldn't shake the core of my being. 

Yes, I have my setbacks, but my core... My core is a Shadowlander, fueled by dark magic.

In my mind, turmoil rages, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions battling for supremacy. As I retract my hand from the water's surface, a stubborn resolve takes root within me. 

This gentle magic, this bond with the elements—it's not meant for me. 

I am a prince of Shadowlands, shaped by darkness, my essence entwined with the very shadows I command.

I cannot succumb to the seductive whispers of water, to its promises of serenity. 

Under the moon's silver gaze, I turn away from the tranquil pond, my heart laden with the weight of my decision. The brief encounter with water magic has stirred something inside me, a flicker of doubt threatening to erode my resolve. Yet, I shove it aside, burying it deep within my soul.

Aria's sweetness and good nature do not alter the fact that we are adversaries.

I am a prince, a master of dark magic, and I will embrace that mantle with every ounce of my being.

I am a child of Shadowlands, bound to the path destiny has set before me.

Aria looked at me, her expression filled with concern. "Kael, what happened?" she asked softly, her voice like a gentle breeze cutting through the tension.

I hesitated, torn between the desire to confide in her and the knowledge that she stood on the opposite side of our conflict. "It's nothing you need concern yourself with, Aria. Our paths are different, our goals divergent."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "But you seem troubled. Is there anything I can do to help?" she persisted, her kindness evident in her eyes.

I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "You? Help me? Don't be ridiculous, Aria. You and I are enemies, remember? There's nothing you can do for me," I snapped.

Aria's expression softened, hurt flickering across her features. "Kael, I know we come from different worlds, but that doesn't mean we have to be enemies. Can't we find a way to coexist peacefully?" she pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.

I scoffed, my resolve hardening. "Peaceful coexistence? Between a prince of Shadowlands and a wielder of light magic? Impossible," I retorted, my tone final.

Aria's shoulders slumped, disappointment evident in her demeanor. "I had hoped..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her words stoked the flames of my frustration, and I snapped back, my tone sharp with anger. "You expect me to accept your lightness, your kindness, but can you accept the darkness, the negative aspects of who I am?"

She met my gaze unwaveringly, her expression resolute. "Why should I, Kael? Lightness is something that brings joy, that makes life better. Why would I want to embrace darkness?"

I scoffed, incredulous at her naivety. "Because life isn't all sunshine and rainbows, Aria. There are shadows, there is darkness. Ignoring it won't make it disappear."

She shook her head, her faith unshaken. "I'm not saying we should ignore darkness, Kael. But we can choose to focus on the light, to find goodness even in the midst of darkness."

Her words grated against me, a reminder of everything I had been taught to reject. "You speak of ideals, Aria, but ideals won't protect you from the harsh realities of the world. Sometimes, you have to embrace the darkness to survive."

Her eyes flashed with determination, mirroring the fire in my own. "Darkness only brings pain and suffering. I refuse to let it cloud my life."

I bristled at her words, feeling the sting of her rejection like a physical blow. "You speak of darkness as if it's some foreign entity, something to be feared."

Her words cut deep, stirring the turmoil within me to new heights. And then, in a moment of careless candor, she uttered the words that struck at the very core of my being. 

"You'll have to leave your duskblood nature behind if you ever hope to see the light." she said, her voice laced with unintended hurt, the term dripping with disdain.

The venom in her voice pierced through me like a blade, igniting a blaze of fury within my chest. How dare she use such a derogatory term to describe me, to dismiss me as nothing more than a creature of darkness?

The rage I had been struggling to contain erupted forth in a torrent of emotion. "Duskblood," I spat, the word heavy with accusation. "Is that what you think of me? Just another shadowlander, tainted by darkness?"

She recoiled, her expression faltering for the briefest of moments before steeling once more. "I... I didn't mean..." she stammered, her words trailing off into silence.

But it was too late. The damage had been done, the rift between us widening with every passing second.

"You think you're all kind and good and pure," I began, my words laced with contempt, "and that puts you on a pedestal to judge everybody else."

Her eyes widened in surprise, taken aback by the sudden shift in my demeanor. "Kael, I..."

I cut her off, unwilling to hear her protests. "No, listen to me," I continued, my voice rising with each word. "Your self-righteousness blinds you to the complexities of the world. You think you know what's best for everyone, but you have no idea what it's like to walk in their shoes."

Her expression faltered, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features. "Kael, I never meant to..."

I shook my head, my anger boiling over. "Intentions mean nothing when your actions speak louder, Aria. You judge me, you judge all of us, without ever bothering to understand what drives us. You may think you're better than us, but in reality, you're just as flawed as the rest of us."

Her gaze wavered, her resolve crumbling under the weight of my words. "I... I didn't realize..."

"Of course you didn't," I spat, my bitterness unchecked. "Because you're too busy living in your bubble of self-righteousness to see the truth. Well, let me enlighten you, Aria. The world isn't black and white. It's shades of gray, and you'd do well to remember that."

With that, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving Aria standing there. 

With that, I knew that whatever fragile truce we had once shared had been shattered beyond repair.